Lamp mounting



Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES ALBERT R. LOCKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LAMP MOUNTING.

Application filed July 26, 1922. Serial No. 577,716.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT R. LOCKE, a citizen 'of the United States, residing at Chicago, in thel county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lamp Mountings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lamp mountings.

It will be explained as embodied in a switchboard pilot lamp for indicating the operation of switches or the appliances controlled thereby.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved signal lamp mounting.

Another object is to provide an improved pilot lamp mounting.

Another object is to provide an improved pilot lamp mounting for a dead front switch panel.

' Another vobject is to provide a mounting which may be readily removed from the front of the panel.

Another Objectis to provide a mounting wherein the lamp enclosing shell may be readily removed from the lamp base through the front of the panel. Y

Another object is to provide a simple and readily changeable designation holder.

Another object is to provide a mounting which is simple, attractive and inexpensive.

IOther objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a dead front switch panel with pilot lamp mounting.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the switch panel.

Fig-3 is a separated side elevation of the pilot lamp mounting.

Fi 4 is a vertical central section through the amp mounting and a portion of the switch panel base, and

Fig.- 5 is a separated perspective of the designation holder of the mounting.

Dead front switchboard panels ordinarily have a back plate 1 of insulating material and a front plate 2 of metal. lUsually the back insulatively carries the front plate and the switch contacts. The switch illustrated has two sets of xed contacts 3 and 4c, each set cooperatively associated with a mov able contact actuated by a handle 5. The handles project through the front plate which covers and protects the contacts and prevents the operator from touching the live parts. y

The details of the switch are not shown since this invention relates to the pilot. Pilot lamps are provided so that the operator may knowthe condition of the controlled circuits. The details of a switch such as outlined inLthe drawings are set forth in my copending application Serial No. 471,339; filed May 21, 1921.

The pilot lamp mounting comprises, in general, a lamp socket and terminal support or base 6, a lamp enclosing shell or housing 7, and a designation holder 8. y

Lamp socket support 6, which may be made of porcelain or other suitable material,` carries a lamp socket of any approved design. The contacts of the lamp socket are connected to two terminals 10 which project from the rear of support 6. Switch panel back plate 1 has a pair of slots 11 therethrough and into which terminals 10 10 may be inserted from the front. Each slot 11 has a spring clip 12 therein for frictionally engaging corresponding terminal 10 to effect an electrical connection and assist in holding the lamp socket support in place. The' front portionof support 6 is -of reduced diameter to provide an abutment shoulder 13.

Housing 7 is a cylindrical tube of suitable material such as brass. The rear of housing 7 slidably'fits over the reduced forward portion of support againstshoulder 13. The outer diameter of the tube is slightly less than the diameter of the hole through front plate 2. The housing and lamp socket support may be held together by suitable means such as a bayonet connection having la pin 14 on the support and a bayonet slot 15 in the housing. Openings 16 are pro-4 vided in the wall of housing 7 to ,ventilate the interior thereof and thus keep the lamp from reaching excessive temperatures.

Designation holder 8 is in the form of a metal ring which is rigidly secured to housing 7. It may be brazed over the end of they housing. The ring has an internal annular flange 20 against which a transparent or translucent lens 21 may rest. A disc 22 of suitable material, such as paper, on which designationsmay be printed or painted, 1s Set against lens 20 and is covered and held in place by a transparent lens 23. A split spring ring 24 of Wire may be snapped into an annular groove 25 in ring 8 to clamp the two lenses and designating disc in place. By removing ring 24 the designating disc may be readily taken out and new marks of identification placed thereon or a new disc substituted therefor.

The assembled pilot lamp mounting may be installed in a switch panel by merely inserting the rear of the mounting through the hole in the panel front plate and forcing terminals l() into slots 11. The rear end of ring 8 then comes flush witlrthe front surface of plate 2, so that-the designation, which is illuminated by the lamp therebehind, stands prominently out from the face of the switchboard. The entire mounting may be removed from the front of the switchboard by merely pulling the same through the hole in the front panel. The vfriction terminals hold the rear of the mounting against lateral displacement and provide good electrical connections but allow the mounting to be easily Withdrawn. After the mounting is withdrawn the lamp and socket are made accessible for inspection and replacement by separating the shell and lamp socket base at the bayonet joint.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let` ters Patent, is

1; A lamp mounting for a switch panel having front and back plates, comprising a lamp socket support to be removably secured to the panel back plate, a tubular lamp housing detachably secured to the support and arranged to extend through the panel front plate, and a designation holder at the end of the housing to close the same and carry marks of identification.

2. A lamp mounting for a switch panel comprising a perforate front plate, and a back plate spaced therefrom, theback plate having a pair of slots therein; yielding terminal clips in said slots, one in each slot to receive the terminals of a lamp socket; a, lamp socket having a pair of projecting terminalsadapted to slidably enter said slots and to contact with said clips therein; a tubular housing detachably held at one end on the socket and a designating mount-ing on the other end of the housing, said socket and housing structure axially movable in the respective openings provided in said plates.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribed my name.

ALBERT R. LOCKE. 

